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As part of the celebration of World Teachers' Day, UNESCO Santiago, Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and Elige Educar are promoting a campaign to raise awareness about the transformative impact of teachers in the face of the region's challenges.

Under the slogan, “We need you! Teachers make dreams come true in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the two organisations aim to spark public discussion about the crucial role of education professionals and how the current teacher shortage poses a threat to the educational future of thousands of children.

This issue affects the entire region, where – according to UNESCO projections – 3.2 million teachers will be needed to meet the 2030 education goals. Latin America and the Caribbean face stagnation in the number of people entering the profession each year, jeopardising the ability of education systems to meet the demand for teachers to serve all students. For instance, between 2015 and 2019, the teaching workforce grew by just 2.7%.

“It is essential to understand that the factors behind the teacher shortage are multiple and have changed over time. In the last 20 years, the shortage in Latin America and the Caribbean was largely due to the expansion of enrolment at different education levels and the difficulty of providing enough qualified teachers to meet this demand. Today, however, the shortage seems to be more related to the challenge of attracting candidates to the profession and retaining practising teachers. This is why this call to action is so important,” explained Claudia Uribe, director of UNESCO Santiago, Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The shortage of teachers disproportionately affects certain areas, particularly in subjects such as mathematics and science, as well as in schools serving a high proportion of vulnerable students, including those from low-income families or indigenous backgrounds.

“To improve the appeal of the profession, education systems must take the necessary steps to develop selective yet flexible admission processes for initial teacher training and diversify entry pathways into the profession. It is also essential to understand the uneven distribution of teachers across regions, as teacher allocation is more critical in some areas. Public policies must be developed that acknowledge these diversities,” stated Verónica Cabezas, executive director of Elige Educar.

Both organisations are advocating for public policies that focus on improving teachers’ working conditions, a key factor in attracting and retaining education professionals.